Page 75 of The Sugar and Spice Bookshop Bakery

She moves outside a little. Of course she shouldn’t eavesdrop, but she can’t help herself.

‘You’ve certainly been hands-on with this project. But what are you thinking, building all this for her? People will assume you’re a tradesman,’ Richard says.

‘I am a tradesman. And I’m proud of it. Look at the place. I’ve poured heart and soul into this.’

‘You must really like Louise.’

‘It’s that obvious?’

‘It’s that obvious.’

Louise closes her eyes. She knew already, of course, that he liked her. She can tell by how he looks at her. The delicious cannoli. The tender way he’d made love to her. And this magical book garden, with its collection of beautiful book nooks, speaks volumes. He’s created this wonderland especially for her. But hearing him confess to his father that he has feelings for her makes her all warm inside.

She’s about to step out from her hiding place, to go over and take Jack’s hand, when Jack says, ‘I’m good at what I do. You can see that, can’t you? It’s a good, honest way to make a living.’

Louise waits, holding her breath.

Silence.

And then a low moan. Richard, she thinks.

And then he says, ‘Get me a chair, Giacomo. I’m not feeling well.’

‘Are you okay?’ Jack’s voice is full of concern.

‘A chair, Giacomo,’ Richard says.

‘I’ll go,’ she calls, even though it gives away the fact that she was eavesdropping. She scurries towards the bakery, past her mother and Maddie who are looking at the hat. She rushes past the kitchen, grabs a chair and hurries back to the garden, where Jack is supporting his father who is leaning against one of the sheds, with her mother standing nervously at his side.

‘Shall I fetch some water?’ Maddie says.

Louise nods, handing the chair to Jack, who helps his father lower himself onto it.

‘Is it your heart, Babbo?’

Richard puts a hand on his chest, and Louise is reminded suddenly of an amateur production she saw once at a local theatre. She pushes the thought away.

‘Take deep breaths,’ Elizabeth advises. ‘Should we call 999? Louise, do you think we should?’

‘I’ll be okay,’ Richard says, in a distinctly martyrish tone.

Later, when Jack has taken Richard home, Louise, Elizabeth and Maddie sit in the bakery with a large pot of tea and a plate of scones.

‘Elizabeth,’ Maddie says suddenly. ‘Do you have any fake fur coats you don’t want?’

Elizabeth shakes her head. ‘I don’t think I do, Maddie, no. Fake fur has never been my thing. Why on earth do you want those?’

Maddie taps the side of her nose. ‘Top secret.’

‘You know, I’m worried about Richard,’ Elizabeth says. ‘He looked so pale.’

‘Did he?’ Louise can’t say she’d noticed that.

‘You can beg all you want,’ Maddie says. ‘I’m not going to reveal what it is.’

‘What what is, dear?’ Elizabeth looks puzzled.

‘The reason I want the coats,’ Maddie says.